~Distant Lightning~

~Tortilita Mountains~


Another light show tonight.
Didn't hear any thunder though.
Probably at quite some distance.
The sound of thunder travels
at about 1 mile in 5 seconds.
But the sound is rarely heard when
the lightning strike is over 15 miles away.
I figure this strike was about 25 miles away.
I love watching these heavenly displays.
So very powerful and impressive.
The lead bolt of lightning can travel
at speeds of 35 miles per second.
And can reach temperatures of 54,000°F.
Very swift and very warm.
Lightning heats the nearby air
to about 18,000°F nearly instantly.
This is almost twice the
temperature of the Sun's surface.
This rapid heating creates a shock wave
that is heard as a loud clap of thunder.
And the lightning bolt was the symbol of male humans
among some Native Americans, such as the Apache.



Thanks for looking.